Terrebonne Council on Aging investigation continues

Published: Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 5:01 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 5:01 p.m.

A local board overseeing the Terrebonne Council on Aging is expected to continue its investigation into ethics complaints against the agency's director Friday afternoon.

Janell Brierley, who served as the council's transportation and nutrition supervisor for less than a year, was fired earlier this month and later filed complaints against Executive Director Diana Edmonson. Brierley sent letters last week to the council's board, the state Ethics Board, the governor's office and other local, state and federal authorities that allege Edmonson had employees perform personal tasks, including grocery shopping, gardening and vehicle maintenance.

The council's personnel committee met behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss the complaints. The board took no action and is expected to meet in executive session at 1 p.m. Friday to call witnesses.

The state's open-meetings laws allow, but do not require, public bodies to meet in secret executive sessions to discuss the character, competence or mental health of employees or others, provided the person is given a written notice of the meeting at least 24 hours in advance. Anyone who will be discussed also has the right to request the public body to hold that discussion in public, and those officials, by law, must comply with the request.

<p>A local board overseeing the Terrebonne Council on Aging is expected to continue its investigation into ethics complaints against the agency's director Friday afternoon.</p><p>Janell Brierley, who served as the council's transportation and nutrition supervisor for less than a year, was fired earlier this month and later filed complaints against Executive Director Diana Edmonson. Brierley sent letters last week to the council's board, the state Ethics Board, the governor's office and other local, state and federal authorities that allege Edmonson had employees perform personal tasks, including grocery shopping, gardening and vehicle maintenance.</p><p>The council's personnel committee met behind closed doors Wednesday to discuss the complaints. The board took no action and is expected to meet in executive session at 1 p.m. Friday to call witnesses.</p><p>The state's open-meetings laws allow, but do not require, public bodies to meet in secret executive sessions to discuss the character, competence or mental health of employees or others, provided the person is given a written notice of the meeting at least 24 hours in advance. Anyone who will be discussed also has the right to request the public body to hold that discussion in public, and those officials, by law, must comply with the request. </p><p>Any and all votes must be taken in public.</p>